While we tried to fight City Hall, without the Mayor's (DeBlasio's) support and after losing our case with the Department of City Planning (a tie goes to the builder) and in the courts --- towers overshadowing Central Park will and are being built. The State never passed the bill twice introduced by Assembly Member Rosenthal and Senator Jackson that would have amended the multiple dwelling law by setting logical floor to ceiling heights to close the mechanical void and other loopholes. We had one bit of success in that City Council passed legislation that will place limits on mechanical void spaces. Unfortunately, the massive tower going up at 50 W 66 St was approved shortly before the legislation passed. Many of New York City's zoning rules were created with the intention of introducing light, air, and open space into the dense streets of New York. Hopefully, someday soon, we will have elected officials who once again support this intention.
We encourage you to stay involved in zoning issues in your community, support your local community groups, and vote!
A big thank you to all the individuals and organizations who supported us over the years including:
Carnegie Hill Neighbors
Central Park West Neighbors Association
The Chinatown Working Group (representing 46 groups)
The City Club
CIVITAS
Community for Environmentally Sound Development
East River Fifties Alliance (ERFA)
East River Park Action- Lower East Side
Eastsiders for Responsible Zoning
Elizabeth Street Garden
Friends of South Street Seaport (FOSSS)
Friends of the Upper East Side
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation
Harlem One Stop
Historic Districts Council
Human Scale NYC
Inwood Preservation
Landmarks West!
Movement to Protect the People (Brooklyn) MTOPP
New York Landmarks Conservancy
Preserve Our Brooklyn Neighborhoods
Save Central Park NYC
Save Harlem Now
Stop REBNY Bullies
Stop Sunnyside Yards
Voice of Gowanus
West End Preservation Society
Western Queens Community Land Trust
West Harlem CPO
64th-67th Street Block Association